Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

SEC Defensive Player of the year announces he is gay before the NFL Draft

Mizzou's Michael Sam says he's gay

Michael Sam, an All-American defensive lineman from Missouri
and the Associated Press' SEC Defensive Player of the Year, said that
he is gay in an interview with ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Sunday.

Sam stated publicly what his teammates and coaches at Mizzou have known since August: "I am an openly, proud gay man."

Sam is eligible for the NFL draft in May. Assuming that he is
drafted, Sam could become the first openly gay player in the history of
the NFL.

"I understand how big this is," he said. "It's a big deal. No one has
done this before. And it's kind of a nervous process, but I know what I
want to be ... I want to be a football player in the NFL."

In 2014, "Gay Man to Enter Workforce" has the everyday-occurrence
sound of a headline in The Onion. But when the NFL is involved, it's a
first -- and potentially a landmark moment -- in the history of American
sports.

Sam's decision to speak out now -- in interviews with ESPN and the
New York Times -- comes after his experience two weeks ago at the Senior
Bowl, where, he said, many already seemed aware of his sexual
orientation.

"I didn't realize how many people actually knew, and I was afraid
that someone would tell or leak something out about me," he said. "I
want to own my truth. ... No one else should tell my story but me."

He had already confided in a few close friends, Sam recalled, and had
dated a fellow athlete who was not a football player -- so while coming
out to his Mizzou teammates last year was a key moment, it came almost
as an afterthought, during preseason training camp.

"Coaches just wanted to know a little about ourselves, our majors,
where we're from, and something that no one knows about you," Sam said.
"And I used that opportunity just to tell them that I was gay. And their
reaction was like, 'Michael Sam finally told us.' "

Asked what that moment felt like, Sam said, "I was kind of scared,
even though they already knew. Just to see their reaction was awesome.
They supported me from Day One. I couldn't have better teammates. ...
I'm telling you what: I wouldn't have the strength to do this today if I
didn't know how much support they'd given me this past semester."

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesDefensive
end Michael Sam says he told his Missouri teammates in August that he
was gay and they "rallied around me and supported me."

He did not ask them to keep his revelation a secret.

Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said in a statement that he's proud of Sam.

"We're really happy for Michael that he's made the decision to
announce this, and we're proud of him and how he represents Mizzou,"
Pinkel said. "Michael is a great example of just how important it is to
be respectful of others, he's taught a lot of people here first-hand
that it doesn't matter what your background is, or your personal
orientation, we're all on the same team and we all support each other."

Raised in the small town of Hitchcock, Texas, Sam said he grew up uncertain about what his sexual orientation was.

"I knew from a young age that I was attracted to guys," he said, "I
didn't know if it was a phase ... I didn't want to say, 'Hey, I might be
gay. I might be bi.' I just didn't know ... I wanted to find who I was
and make sure I knew what was comfortable. So I didn't tell anyone
growing up."

It was an upbringing, he said, filled with adversity.

"I endured so much in my past: seeing my older brother killed from a
gunshot wound, not knowing that my oldest sister died when she was a
baby and I never got the chance to meet her. My second oldest brother
went missing in 1998, and me and my little sister were the last ones to
see him ... my other two brothers have been in and out of jail since 8th
grade, currently both in jail.

"Telling the world I'm gay is nothing compared to that."

Sam had dinner on Saturday with Dave Kopay, a former NFL player who
said he was gay in 1975 -- three years after his playing career ended.

On Sunday night, the NFL released a statement supporting Sam.

"We admire Michael Sam's honesty and courage," NFL senior vice
president of communications Greg Aiello said in the statement. "Michael
is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can
succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting Michael
Sam in 2014."

Among other male pro athletes who have said they are gay, Jason
Collins, a 12-year NBA veteran, came out in a Sports Illustrated article
at the end of the 2012-13 regular season, but has not played for a team
since. Midfielder Robbie Rogers became first openly gay male athlete to play in a U.S. professional team sports league when he entered a MLS game in May 2013.

Conner Mertens, a kicker for Willamette University, last month became
the first active college football player in the U.S. to come out
publicly.

Collins took to Twitter to praise Sam's courage.

Sam said that he realizes his revelation may engender a variety of
reactions in the football world. "There will be negativity, negative
reactions," he said. "I expect that. ... Everyone can say hurtful things
and hateful things; I don't let stuff like that distract me. But there
are going to be positives. The positives will outweigh the negative."

Public reaction has been impressive so far. Within the first hour of his announcement Sam gained over 18,000 Twitter followers.

Sam led the SEC with 11.5 sacks, and 19 tackles for a loss. Most NFL
draft projections see him as a likely mid-round pick, with some saying
Sam could go as high as the third round, with a possible position switch
to outside linebacker. He is rated as the 12th-best outside pass rusher
in the draft by ESPN Scouts Inc.

"I just want to go to the team who drafts me," he said, "because that
team knows about me, knows that I'm gay, and also knows that I work
hard. That's the team I want to go to."

Sam said that despite some comments from current players, he doesn't
anticipate difficulty gaining acceptance in an NFL locker room.

"Hopefully it will be the same like my locker room," he said. "It's a
workplace. if you've ever been in a Division I or pro locker room, it's
a business place. You want to act professional."

“

I understand how big this is. It's a big deal. No one has done this
before. And it's kind of a nervous process, but I know what I want to
be ... I want to be a football player in the NFL.

”-- Michael Sam

Sam rejects the appalling slanders that sometimes have been hurled at gay men.

"I mean, people will talk about the stereotype of gays being in the
locker room ... to me, I think that it's a little stereotyped that gay
people are predators. It's just very offensive."

Other such negative stereotypes seem too absurd for him even to consider.

"If you led the SEC with 11.5 sacks and 19 tackles for losses?" he
said, laughing. "If a gay person did that, I wouldn't call that person
weak."

Just last week, he said, he came out to his parents, during a phone call.

"I told my mom and dad last week, and they just pretty much said, 'We
knew and we love you and support you,' " he said. "I'm their baby boy.
I'm the first to go to college. I'm the first to graduate college.
Something like this is just another milestone.

"And I love my hometown. I think when this story breaks, I think they're just going to love me even more for who I am."

Sam understands that his life is about to change forever; he said he is happy and proud to be speaking out at last.

"I'm not afraid to tell the world who I am. I'm Michael Sam: I'm a
college graduate. I'm African American, and I'm gay," he said. "I'm
comfortable in my skin."

I had no idea this was going to turn into a Tebow bitch fest. But I do think he was often unjustly criticized as being over the top instead of just being who he is.

Quoting SuperChicken:

Yes. And you responded that this player mentioning that he was gay and not being "bashed" was a shame because Tim Tebow was teased about constantly insisting on making a big production out of praying at every possible opportunity. So my comment about some Christians insisting anything and everything has to be about them and how terribly persecuted they are stands.

Quoting billsfan1104: You mentioned Tebow in your comment right? Even if it was in response to another comment, you still mentioned him, and I just responded to your particular comment about him that I disagreed with.

Quoting SuperChicken:

No. I quoted a comment about Tebow.

Quoting billsfan1104: Wtf? You made a comment about Tebow. I just responded.

I do not care about this player. I do not care if he is gay or not. All that matters is that if he is drafted by the Buffalo Bills the kid can play. I am tired of rooting for team that fuckin loses all the time.

Quoting SuperChicken:

Lol. Your bias is showing.

That you took this person's moment expressing his truth to claim Christian persecution when this had absolutely nothing to do with Tebow at all is really telling. It expresses a selfish, nobody but Christians matter, bias. Is there anything that the "poor poor persecuted Christians" won't make all about them? Can nothing be discussed without Christians crying "what about us! what about us! don't forget everything is all about us and how persecuted we are being the majority in this county!"

Quoting billsfan1104: Tebow didn't make it a production. The media and other people did. He just wasn't ashamed of it, and when asked relentlsy, on his Christianity, he answered honestly. It's a shame that it's not ok for him to talk about it without getting bashed, but a gay football player can talk about it all he wants.

Quoting SuperChicken:

I guess that will depend on if he insists on making a big showy production of being gay like Tebow did of being Christian. Perhaps instead of Tebowing at every possible opportunity, he can whip out a rainbow flag and wave it around while doing pirouettes? If he does, then I'm sure people will become tired of it quick enough.

Quoting 12hellokitty:

Wonder how many who demonized Tebow for being a proud Christian will be mesmerized by Sam being a proud gay.....

not everyone feels the way you do and not everyone feets the way i do, now that both opinions are out there, your opinion did sway mine in the least as i'm sure mine did'nt sway yours. you do know that i have a right to mine, don't you?

Quoting FromAtoZ:

Quoting vic270:

maybe they should start gay football teams. i'm offended. why should this be advertised. it is nothing to be proud of. i think he should have went by the don't ask don't tell rule.

Are you serious?

How does his being who he is impact you at all? How does it impact your life?

Why should he have to hide who he is because you are offended?

What if some one is offended by you..........are you prepared to hide away?

not everyone feels the way you do and not everyone feets the way i do, now that both opinions are out there, your opinion did sway mine in the least as i'm sure mine did'nt sway yours. you do know that i have a right to mine, don't you?

Quoting FromAtoZ:

Quoting vic270:

maybe they should start gay football teams. i'm offended. why should this be advertised. it is nothing to be proud of. i think he should have went by the don't ask don't tell rule.

Are you serious?

How does his being who he is impact you at all? How does it impact your life?

Why should he have to hide who he is because you are offended?

What if some one is offended by you..........are you prepared to hide away?

Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.